in him a fulnesse A fulnesse 1 of the grace of his favour love and mercy towards us The Apostle ascribes unto him riches of this grace and affirmeth that therein he hath abounded unto us Ephes 1.7,8 neither is this barely affirmed but as strongly confirmed from the effects or fruits thereof 1. In our justification In whom we have redemption the forgivenesse of sins according unto the riches of his grace c. both of which are plenary Psal 130.7 In him there is plenteous redemption He will abundantly pardon Isay 55.7 or he will multiply to pardon as it is in the margent 2. In our vocation In the riches of his grace he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence ver 8. Thus also Rom. 10.12 the Lord is said to be rich to wit in mercy love and favour Ephes 2.4 Vnto all that call upon him Where by Lord saith Diodati is meant Jesus Christ who by his death resurrection hath gotten himselfe a title over all men to be their Lord master to be the head of the elect amidst all Nations And he is said to be rich in the fruits and effects thereof For as Calvin and Estius upon the place observe rich is here taken actively for bountifull liberall or gracious The bounty and liberality of men may be disenabled by extensivenesse unto too many but it cannot be so with the grace love and favour of our Lord Jesus Christ for he hath unsearchable riches Eph. 3.8 that cannot be impaired by communicativenesse He cannot be impoverished though he be rich unto all that call upon him This fulnesse of Christs love is to the full displayed in the Song of Solomon and that both in the Churches confessions and Christs owne professions of it 1. In the Churches confessions of it and that both to Christ and others 1. She makes a gratefull acknowledgement of it unto Christ himselfe Thy love saith she is better then wine Cant. 1.2 Next she celebrates and reports it unto others chap. 3.9,10 King Solomon that is Christ made him a chariot that is framed assumed unto himselfe an humane nature the midst or innermost whereof his heart being paved with love of the daughters of Jerusalem that is the elect of God the children of Jerusalem the mother of us all In Isay 49.16 Zion is said to be engraven upon the palmes of his hand but here to be as it were written upon his heart y But as the heart signifieth inward love so the arme of Christ signifieth his outward manifestation of love by helping bearing supporting her in all her infirmities through his power Psal 77.15 89.10 Esa 40.10,11 Ainsworth She was in his heart to live and dye for her 2 Corin. 7.3 Againe chap. 7.10 His desire saith she or desirous affection is towards mee As it said of the woman Gen. 3.16 that her desire should be unto her husband Next we have Christs owne profession of this great love of his unto his Church He termeth her his love his dove his spouse his sister his beloved his friends Chap. 5. v. 1. He acquaints her that in expression of his love unto her he had endured much trouble and misery for her My head saith he is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night Chap. 5.2 Unto the Churches confession and Christs owne profession of this fulnesse of love we joyne also the Churches petition for it Cant. 8.6 Set me as a seale upon thy heart as a seale upon thine arme This was a prayer dictated unto and penned for the Church by the Holy Ghost himselfe and therefore if she put it up with faith and confidence it cannot be successelesse From it then we may conclude that the Church is very precious in Christs esteeme graven as the graving of a seale upon his heart And this his estimate of her he will manifest by wearing her as a signet upon his right hand The high priest Exod. 28. was to beare the names of the children of Israel engraven upon twelve precious stones and set in gold in the breast-plate of judgement upon his heart when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memoriall before the Lord continually vers 17 18 19 20 21 29. Herein the exceeding and wonderfull care and love of Christ unto his members is plainly typified and that in diverse particulars 1. The names of the children of Israel were engraven upon twelve precious stones set in gold to shew that the people of Christ are very deare and precious unto him as it were his jewels and precious stones Mal. 3.17 2. Besides there was curious art bestowed upon the engraving of these names It was like the engraving of a signet ver 21. And this might figure the curiosity of Christs workmanship in creating and engraving holinesse the image of God upon the spirits of his people which farre exceeded that which was used in the framing of those glorious and celestiall bodies the sunne moone and starres And the curiositie of this his workmanship in the beautifying of his members is a demonstration of his extraordinary affection unto them 3. His care of them and affection to them is not onely joynt and generall but particular and severall of one by one * Babington in locum The High priest was to have in his brest-plate the twelve stones with the particular names of the Tribes 4. Christ beareth his members not onely on his shoulders vers 12. by his protection of them and patience unto them but in his breast and heart by his singular and most tender affection towards them While he was here on earth his heart was so set upon them as that he shed his heart blood for them And now he is gone into the holy place they are still upon and in his heart he is still mindfull of and deeply sollicitous for promoting their salvation He even now rejoyceth in the habitable part of his earth and there will never be a period in his delights with the sonnes of men Prov. 8.31 the twelve stones are termed Exodus 25.7 lapides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is stones of fulnesses or filling stones Perhaps thinks Altingius loc com part 2. pag. 1. because the breast plate was filled with them and this might signifie that the breast or heart of Christ was even filled with his members in regard the love of his heart was fully placed upon them more then on all the rest of the creatures 5. The High Priest was to beare the names of the children of Israel for a memoriall before the Lord continually And this might denote that Christ is ever mindfull of his people Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee saith the Lord Christ unto his Zion Isay 49.15 Christ remembreth all his people even when as man he seeth them not And this might be imported by the High
A TREATISE Concerning THE FVLNESSE OF CHRIST Considered ACCORDING VNTO 1 His relations 2 His Natures Divine and Humane 3 His twofold state of Humiliation and Exaltation OXFORD Printed by H. H. for Th Robinson 1656. VNTO HIS HONOVRED FRIEND COLONEL HENRY HENLY A worthy example of personall piety and publike affections HENRY IEANES VVith his unfained prayers for the prosperity of him and his devoteth this part of his labours THERE DWELLETH IN CHRIST ALL FVLNESSE COLLOSS 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell FRom verse the 15th unto the 20th we have a full and pithie description of our Redeemer Christ Jesus and that by his inward by his outward relation First by the intrinsecal relation he beareth unto his Father in the beginning of the 15th verse who is the Image of the invisible God As for his extrinsecal relations they are either unto the creatures in general or else unto the Church in special Unto the creatures in general he carrieth the relation 1. Of first borne the first borne of every creature the latter part of the 15th verse 2. Of Creator and Preserver verses 16th and 17th Unto the Church in speciall he is referred as head verse 18th And he is the head of the body the Church Of which relation we have an amplification a confirmation 1. An amplification from two other titles dependant thereon and resulting therefrom Who is the beginning the first borne from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence Who is the beginning that is the cause and principle unto all his members of their resurrection of their spiritual resurrection from the death of sinne here of their corporal resurrection from the grave the death of nature hereafter The first borne from the dead the first that was borne from the dead that is the first that rose by his own power unto a present and plenary participation of glory That in all things he might have the preheminence In that he was not only a Creator and Preserver of the living but also a raiser and restorer of the dead Of this relation of headship unto his Church we have 2 a Confirmation from his fitness and qualification for it For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Upon which words we may look 1. according to the reference they have of a proof unto the foregoing 2. as they are in themselves 1. According to the reference they have of a proof unto the foregoing which is implied in the particle for Here to clear the Apostles meaning we must know there is wanting this proposition He in whom all fulness dwelleth is to be the head of the Church This is to be supplied as necessarily understood and then we have a full compleat syllogisme to prove Christ the head of the Church He in whom all fulness dwelleth is to be the head of the Church because qualified and fitted for it but in Christ dwelleth all fulness and that by his Father's decree therefore he is the head of the body the Church In the head of the Church you see there resides all-fulness Were it not so the Apostle had reasoned but weakly in inferring Christ's being head of the Church from the dwelling of all-fulness in him If any one want this fulness it will goe well with him if among the members of the Church he can find a place of head the name and honour he cannot challenge without the just imputation of excessive both pride and folly I cannot but marvel then how it comes about that the Popes of Rome have for a long time laid so eager claime unto this title for what fulness save that of sin and Satan can be ascribed unto the greatest part of them since their arrogant and sacrilegious usurpation of this incommunicable attribute of our Redeemer We may say of them as Paul of the Gentiles Rom. 1.29 they are filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousnes full of envy murder debate deceit malignity of this the miserable face of almost whole Christendome is too palpable an evidence Antichrist is stiled in scriptures that man of sin 2 Thes 2.3 For this reason perhaps because he is not only full of sin but the fulness of sinne dwelleth in him Sathan hath filled his heart as Peter spake of Ananias Act. 5.3 And good reason there is Sathan should communicate unto him a double portion the greatest portion of his spirit for he is his eldest sonne the sonne of perdition 2 Thes 2.3 his vicar-general the most powerful and universal agent he hath here upon earth Thus you see standeth the context If we look upon the words as they are in themselves so for the better unfolding of them we must know that in Christ there was a manifold fuâ—ness according to the diverse considerations of him and considered he may be either relatively or absolutely 1. Relatively and so againe three wayes 1. As an object of all promises and prophecies delivered under the law and also as an antitype unto legal types and ceremonies And so there was in him that fulness of truth of which the Evangelist St. John speaketh John 1.14 The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us full of grace and truth He is said to be full of truth because he is the performance of the promises the fulfilling of the prophecies the fulfilling of the typical prefigurations of the whole ceremonial law Quia plenus gratiae saith Bonaventure tulit peccata quia plenus veritatis solvit legis promissa because full of grace therefore he bore our sins in his body on the tree and so suffered the curse of the Law because full of truth therefore he accomplisht all the promises of the old Testament In him all the promises of God were yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the fathers Rom. 15.8 Full he was of truth because in him were fulfilled all the prophecies that ran of the Evangelical Church and therefore he is said Dan. 9.24 to seale up the vision and the prophecies Quonià m Christus est signaculum omnium prophetarum adimplens omnia quae retro erant de eo nunciata as Tertullian contra Judaeos observeth upon the place Because Christ is the seal of the prophets fulfilling whatsoever was foretold of him Full he was of truth because he made good the prefigurations of the whole ceremonial law In them there was an emptiness they were but shadowes figures Col. 2.17 A fulness then there must be in Christ who is the body of those shadowes the substance of those figures In him they were to be filled full fulfilled perfected and accomplished And so the new Testament whereof he is the substance is said by Aquinas to fill up or fulfil the old because whatsoever was promised or prefigured in this is really and truely exhibited in that 1 a 2 ae
shall not be confounded v. 6 that is shall not be disappointed of his hope all other foundations will faile men and prove but as a Spiders web Job 8.14 so that whosoever relieth on them shall be covered with shame and confusion of face In the words I believe there is a litotes by deniall of Confusion and shame is understood the affirmation of extraordinary comfort and confidence He that believeth on him shall not be ashamed or confounded that is he shall lift up his head with a full joy triumph and unshaken confidence whereas others shall hide their heads and not be able to looke the lambe in the face as being utterly abashed at the vanity and deceitfulnesse of those foundations upon which they have built and relied From this in the third place the Apostle inferreth the honour and glory of those that by faith leane upon him as a foundation He that believeth on him shall not be confounded unto you therefore which believe he is an honour v. 6 7. indeed for a man to have his expectation concerning the eternall happinesse of his soule fully answered at the last day when the hopes of the great and wise men of the world shall be utterly frustrate must needs make much for a mans honour in the sight of men and Angels Vnto you which believe he is an honour because you have honoured him received his testimony set your seale as it were to his veracity therefore he will honour you derive unto you his honour and glory make you in together with him the Sons of God heires of Heaven spirituall Kings and priests Revel 1.6 To conclude what I have to say at present touching this fulnesse of Christs office over the Church Submission unto it is a thing from which we are of our selves averse The resolve of the Jewes is the naturall language of every carnall mans heart We will not have this man to reigne over us Luk. 19.14 Well therefore let us humbly implore the over-ruling influence of heaven to worke us unto an unfeigned acknowledgment of and sincere obedience unto the full authority of Christ for no man saith the Apostle can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 It is an easy matter formally and verbally to professe it but to acknowledge it cordially and affectionately out of a true faith and full perswasion of heart impossible unlesse we be taught swayed and acted by the Holy spirit 2. I shall proceed to that use and application which may be made of the fulnesse of Christs authority in generall over the whole universe wherein I shall not wholly exclude his fulnesse of authority over his Church but shall sometimes have reference thereunto 1. Then for information we may hence inferre the dignity of the members and ministers of Christ 1. The dignity of the members of Christ they are the servants subjects friends favourites brethren nay spouse of him that hath all power in heaven and in earth and to be so neerely and intimately related unto a person of such power and authority is in heavens Herauldry a farre greater honour then to be absolute and universall monarch of the whole earth This is an unspeakable comfort unto all true believers in their lowest condition and should be a strong engagement to walke suitably unto the height of such relations as becommeth the servants of so great a master the subjects nay friends and favourites of so redoubted a king the spouse of so powerfull and glorious a husband 2. We may hence inferre the dignity of the ministers of Christ They have their office and commission from him that hath a commission from the father to governe all creatures in heaven and in earth They are the only Embassadours of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the keepers of his great seales the sacraments the stewards and rulers of his house 1 Cor. 4.1 Heb. 13.17 And from this dignity of the ministeriall function we may presse both ministers and people unto their severall and respective duties 1. The Dignity of ministers should mind them of and move them unto their duty not to walke beneath the eminency of that relation which they have unto their great Lord and master the prince of all the Kings of the earth His name is above every name and therefore they who are chosen vessels to beare his name Act. 9.15 should be very carefull not to cast any reproach or dishonour upon his name not to occasion the blasphemie thereof by any either indiscretion or scandall in their conversation It would be a very great and foule incongruence if whereas Christ who hath a fulnesse of all authority hath given them an office worthy of double honour yet notwithstanding they should render their persons vile and contemptible 2. The dignity of ministers should be a powerfull incentive unto their people to give them all due respect double honour as the Apostle phraseth it 1 Timoth. 5.17 I cannot enforce this use better then in the words of one of the best of our English Prelates Bishop Lake He that looketh upon the persons of ministers only will not much esteeme either them or their words but adde whose ministers they are and that requireth reverence to be yeelded to their persons and obedience to their doctrine Especially if we consider that all those to whom they come are at his mercy from whom they come for he hath power over them all and such power he must have that sends so it is not a message sent by a King to a neighbour King but by a King to his vassals the more are they to be respected and their words heeded States and Princes in all ages have had a very deep resentment of injuries done unto their Embassadours How severely did David revenge the disgrace that Hanun put upon his messengers 2 Sam. Chapters 10 11 12. And the Romans extinguished Corinth though the eye of Greece for violating their Embassadours and yet the violation was so small as that Florus could not tell whether it were voce or manu What severity then may they expect in the day of retribution the greatest part of whose religion is to heap indignities upon the messengers of Christ Jesus whom he hath sent with the offer of peace and pardon unto the sonnes of men For if earthly Potentates be so tender and touchy in the point of their Embassadours honour and safety can they dreame that Christ who hath all power given unto him in heaven earth should be so tamely insensible of the affronts that are offered unto his Embassadours as without repentance to suffer them to passe unpunished and unrevenged Doth not he himselfe tell us that a bare contempt of his ministers much more all violent and other injurious treatings of them reflect in the upshot upon himselfe and his father He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10.16 They have their commission from him and he hath
There dwelleth in Christ considered as the cause of our salvation an all fulnesse of sufficiency an all sufficiency to effect it Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 In which words we have Christs sufficiency to carry on the worke of our salvation affirmed confirmed and amplified from the qualification of those to whom it is actually effectuall 1. Affirmed he is able to save unto the uttermost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the phrase may denote three things the perpetuity the perfection of the salvation which he worketh or else the perfection of his influence or causality in the working of it 1. It may signify the perpetuity and indeficiency of that salvation which he worketh He is able to save unto the uttermost of time for evermore He is not as Joshua Othniel Ehud Shamgar a temporary but an eternall Saviour he is able to save unto all eternity 2. It may import the absolute perfection and fulnesse of the salvation which he worketh He is able to save unto the uttermost degree of salvation he doth not save by halves but fully and perfectly from every degree of evill whether of sinne or misery And indeed there is not the least degree in the salvation of true believers that he leaves unaccomplished He is the author and finisher of their faith Heb. 12.2 able to keepe that which they commit unto him against that day 2 Timoth. 1.12 as he hath begun a good worke in them so will he performe or finish it Phil. 1.6 he will establish their hearts unblameable in holinesse before God 1 Thess 3. ult he will preserve their whole spirit soule and body blamelesse unto his coming 1 Thes 5.23 3. The forme of speech may denote thinke some the perfection of Christs influence in the effecting of our salvation He is able to save unto the uttermost that is all manner of wayes as a morall as a physicall cause of salvation 1. He is the morall cause of our salvation by the merit of his humiliation by the prevalency of his intercession and by the light of his Doctrine and Example 1. By the merit of his humiliation he hath purchased our salvation 1 Cor. 6.20.1 Pet. 1.18 and so is the meritorious cause thereof 2. His intercession for our salvation cannot but be prevailing because it is in the vertue and strength of the all-sufficient merit of the sacrifice of his obedience for it It is nothing else but the continuall presentation thereof unto his father and therefore is tearmed by some a presentative oblation Lastly He is the morall cause of our salvation by the light of his Doctrine and Example 1 In his Doctrine he hath so fully taught the way unto salvation that it is able to make wise unto salvation through faith in him 2 Tim. 3.15 2 By his Example he hath as our forerunner guide as the captaine of our salvation so fully chalked out unto us the way unto salvation as that if we follow him therein it will bring us infallibly thereunto But now in the next place he is not only a morall cause of our salvation by his merit advocation and example but also a physicall cause by his omnipotency for by this he will remove all impediments levell all mountains of opposition and notwithstanding them put every believâ—… into as the actuall so full and compleat possession of happinesse and salvation It will in the conclusion make such a finall and through conquest of all corruption whatsoever as that it will present his Church unto himselfe without blemish glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any â—uch thing Eph. 5.26,27 2. We have in this text Christs sufficiency and ability to worke our salvation confirmed by two reasons one drawne from the incommunicablenesse the other from the last act of his Priesthood his intercession The first from the uncommunicablenesse of his Priesthood this man because he continneth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an impassable priesthood which passeth not from his owne person unto any other wherefore he is able to save unto the uttermost They that make Christ's Priesthood communicable and derivable unto any successors or Vicars doe in effect deny that Christ is able to save unto the uttermost those that come unto God through him The Second reason is from the last act of his Priesthood his intercession for us which implieth and presupposeth the first as being a continuall tender thereof unto his Father He is able to save unto the uttermost seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them But the Angells live for ever and we shall live for ever and yet no Saint or Angell is able to save so much as one soule Christs life therefore is the cause of our salvation not Causam breviter inserit salvificae Christi potentiae quia semper vivit Sed et Angeli semper vivunt nos semper vivemus videtur igitur causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minimè Vita enim Christi non absolutè sed relatè ad suum sacerdotium est nobis causa salutis Vivit ènim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semper non otiosus nec sibi tantum beatusâ—sed sacerdotio regno suo defungens sâ—que invigilans Sic Rom. 5.10 in perpetua Christi vita fundari docet salutem nostram cap. 6. v. 8. vitam Christi nostram vitam facit Additur igitur finis perpetuae vitae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut interpellet pro nobis q. d. vivit non sibi sed nobis nostrae salutis causam asserens in Dei conspectu Tacita subest occupatio Potest servare At à posse ad esse non est firma consecutio Imò non potest solum sed vult quia voluntatem interpellatione testatur A posse autem velle ad effectum bene sequitur Et potest igitur vult Christus nos servare Potest quia sacerdos semper vivens vult quia interpellat pro nobis Idem tribuit Christo Rom. 8.34 Heb. 9.24 absolutely saith Pareus but in relation unto his Priesthood He is able to save unto the uttermost seeing he ever liveth to act and discharge the part and office of a Priest for us to make intercession for us He died to merit our salvation and he liveth for ever actually to conferre it upon every soule that cometh unto God by him If he had not risen from his grave if he had not lived or if he had lived as Lazarus to dy againe we had been irrecoverably buried in the graves of our sinns but he liveth for ever Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 and therefore as the Apostle argueth Rom. 5.10 if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life His exaltation and raising of himselfe
Priests bearing the names of the children of Israel upon his two x Quod verò spectat usum Ephod seu amiculi debuit reliquis vestibus summi Sacerdotis superindui eidem pectorale inseri in gemmis quae humero aptarentur habere nomina duodecim filiorum Israel ut significaret Christum Ecclesiam ejusque membra omnia semper in memoria habere etiam obverso tergo propter amorem ardentissimum quo eos prosequitur ac propter ipsos coram Deo semper apparere Heb. 7.16 Rivet in locum shoulders for a memoriall as well as on his breast plate ver 12. His heart is towards them when his face is not I shall close all these testimonies with that of the Apostle Paul Ep. 3.18,19 then which no one place of Scripture more fully expresseth the transcendency of Christs love unto us 1. Vers 18. He ascribes unto Christ's love one dimension more then Naturalists attribute unto bodies not onely length breadth depth but also height a Dickson in locum Length in regard of it's eternity breadth in respect of it's extent unto all ages and orders of men unto the Catholique Church scattered over the face of the whole earth depth in regard of it's condescension unto a deliverance of us out of an abysse of sinne and misery Height in regard of it's exaltation of us unto an heavenly happinesse Aquinas as Estius informeth mee thinkes that the Apostle here alludeth unto Job 11.8,9 It is as high as heaven what canst thou doe Deeper then Hell what canst thou know the measure thereof is longer then the earth and broader then the sea But now in vers 19. we have this immensity of Christ's love set forth more plainly The love of Christ passeth knowledge that is cannot be perfectly fully and exactly knowne either by men or Angels The Apostle thinks b Videri potest Apostolus respice real Gnosticos qui hoc superbo nomine sese nuncupaverunt à scientia quam sihi peculiariter venditabant utitur enim vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atqui longè majus est scire charitateÌ„ Christi â—…pote quae universam Gnosticorum omniúmque Philosophorum scientiam excedit quia mysterium charitatis Christi quâ semetipsum pro nobis tradidit in cor hominis cujusquam non ascendit sicut in genere de hujusmodi mysteriis sapientiae Christianae testatur Apostolus 1. Cor. 2.9 Estius seems to have regard unto the Gnosticks who called themselves by this proud name from that knowledge which they pretended unto above others To take them off from this overweening conceit the Apostle tels them that the love of Christ is so incomprehensible as that it surpasseth all the capacity of our wits fully to conceive it in our minds and therefore it is able to puzzle and non-plus them and all others that vainly boast a knowledge of darke and hidden mysteries Unto these testimonies I shall adde two other arguments of the fulnesse of Christs love 1. The freenesse of it And 2. the unmeasurablenesse of it's fruits or effects 1. The absolute freenesse of it It was neither for his advantage as an end nor for our deservings as a motive He first loved us 1 Joh. 4.19 While we were sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 When we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne vers 10. As it is unmerited so secondly its fruits and effects to wit his purchase and application of our redemption are unmeasurable by our understandings here in this life 1 His purchase of our redemption not by corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18,19 did so farre exceed humane reason as that it became thereunto a rocke of offence Greater love saith our Saviour hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friend Joh. 15.13 But he himselfe hath given us a greater expression of his owne love He hath laid downe his life for enemies for traytours and rebels and besides this life that he laid downe cannot be equalled by the lives of the greatest of all the sons of men For it was the life of the Son of God and therefore of peerelesse and inestimable value 1 Joh. 3.16 2. As for his application of our redemption if we endeavour to search it unto the bottome it will be found farre to surmount humane reach Is not the originall of it our election one of the most mysterious points in all Divinity are not the parts of it vocation justification adoption sanctification glorification all matters of perplext difficulty Alas how endlesse intricate are the disputes of most learned Theologues touching their nature order and distinction And we should but flatter our selves to expect a decision of these disputes fully and clearely satisfactory as long as we remaine cloathed with corruptible flesh To make now some briefe application of this fulnesse of Christ's love unto us 1. It yeilds abundant consolation unto all true believers That may be said of them which was prophesied of Naphtali Deut. 33.23 They shall be satisfied with favour and full of the blessing of the Lord. The earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord Psal 33. â—5 Therefore much more the Church Riches of patience long suffering and forbearance are extended unto vessels of wrath Rom. 9.22 Rom. 2.4 therefore undoubtedly the c Divitias gloriae pro gloriofissimas Hebraismus Pareus riches of glory that is glorious grace or the most glorious riches of grace Rom. 9.23 shall be heaped and poured upon vessels of mercy If Christ as a private person out of Charity unto the humane nature as * Dr Twisse some hold did commiserate the impenitent Jewes and wept over them Luk. 19.41 O then what yearning of bowels what tendernesse of compassion is there in him by vertue of his office as he is mediator towards those whom his father hath given him If our hearts be sad and disconsolate our spirits weary wounded and heavy laden with the sense of sinne Why Christ's love saith the Church is better then wine Cant. 1.2 Wine is a very comfortable creature making glad the heart Psal 104.15 and the life merry It maketh the needy and those that are of heavy heart to forget their poverty and remember their misery no more Prov. 31.6,7 and therefore may very well by a synecdoche be put for all worldly delights The words then may be thus paraphrased Thy love is sweeter more comfortable pleasant and rejoycing the heart then the choicest of earthly pleasures If we are assayled by our Corruptions within by temptations afflictions and persecutions without why Christ's love is a banner over us animating us to quit our selves as becommeth the souldiers of the Lord of Hosts for the use of a banner standard or ensigne is as to draw and keepe souldiers togeither Isay 5.26 and 11.10 So also to encourage them Psal 60.4 thou hast given a
but also as man and so too not only by the assumption of the word but also by the sanctification of the spirit by infusion of such an unmeasurable fulnesse of habituall holinesse as wonderfully exceedeth the joynt and cumulated holinesse of all either Saints or Angells A third Prophesie and I will trouble you with no more is Zachary 3.9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua upon one stone shall be seven eyes behold I will engrave the graving thereof saith the Lord of hosts Unto which place answereth that in the Revelation of Saint John chap. 5.6 And I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne c stood a lamb having seven hornes and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God See Pemble on the place The stone in that place of Zachary is the chiefe corner stone the head of the corner Christ Jesus God blessed for ever By eyes is meant knowledge wisdome and providence By seaven is denoted perfection and sufficiency By engraving the graving thereof is signifyed the beautifying and as it were polishing of Christs humane nature with all excellency of either gracious or glorious endowments So that the words may be thus paraphrased Behold I have laid in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious cornet stone a sure foundation Is 28.16 And this stone shall not be like the stones of the materiall Temple a dead and sencelesse but a living and quicksighted stone upon this stone shall be seaven eyes a fulnesse of providence and wisdome This stone shall not be a rude rough unwrought and unpolisht but a most curiously carved and an artificially engraved stone indeed the most beautifull of the whole building Behold I will engrave the graving thereof saith the Lord of hosts The Prophet alludes thinke interpreters unto the costly and curious workmanship of the stones of the Temple which did in some weake manner set forth the riches and excellency of Christs gifts and graces These forementioned prophesies receive much light from those many vulgar and obvious similitudes under which the fulnesse of Christ's grace is figured in scripture I will touch but on a few 1. It is compared unto an excelling and surpassing beauty which is resembled unto that of the rose of Sharon and lillie of the Valleyes Canticl 2.1 and is set out with most exquisite attire and ornaments sweete perfumes and pretious ointment Behold thou art faire my beloved yea pleasant Cant. 1.16 My beloved is white and ruddie the chiefest among ten thousand His head is as the most fine gold his lockes are bushie and black as a raven His eies are as the eies of Doves by the rivers of water washed with milke and fitly set His cheekes are as a bed of spices as sweet flowers his lips like lillies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe His hands are as gold rings set with the Berill His belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires His legges are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold His countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars His mouth is most sweete yea he is altogether lovely Canticl 5.10,11,12,13,14,15,16 He is the desire of all nations and the allurement of all hearts that looke upon him Hagg. 2.7 All his garments smell of myrrhe and aloes and Cassia Psal 45.8 He is anointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Psal 45.7 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment powred forth therefore do the Virgins love thee Cantic 1.3 What is said of his Church Cant. 3.6 may be applied unto him in a farre greater eminency he is perfumed with myrrhe and frankincense with all powders of the merchant In Revel 1.13 he is girt about the paps with a golden girdle On which words that industrious Gentleman Mr Leigh hath this annotation His girding about the paps and breasts signifieth that there is no defect or aberration in any motion or affection in our Saviour Christ but every thought and inclination of his heart is kept in order by the fulnesse of the spirit and he parallels it with Esay 11.5 righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loines and faithfullnesse the girdle of his reines that is he shall have so much of righteousnesse and faithfulnesse as that it shall serve him for a girdle By it he was girt that is sufficiently prepared and made ready for execution of his office 2. Christs fulnesse of grace is set forth by the similitude of an apple tree As the apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons As the Apple tree saith Ainsworth upon the words hath more variety of fruits then any other tree that groweth that it is not easy to reckon up the many sorts of Apples of different tast so Christ excelleth in variety of graces c. The Chaldee Paraphrast expoundeth this of the pomecitron tree but for the cause aforesaid I would not saith he restraine it to any one kind that the fulnesse of grace and truth which was in Christ might here be observed The best of the sons of men are in comparison of Christ but as trees of the wood they are either barren or else they yield no fruit but what is at least in part sowre and unsavoury But now Christ is like an apple-tree because his graces do as farre transcend those of the choicest saints as the sweetest apples doe sloes graks or acorns 3. Christs fulnesse of grace is set forth by the expression of a fountaine A fountain of gardens a well of living waters and streams from Lebanon Canticl 4.15 A fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim Joel 3.18 In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse Zach. 13.1 Christ was full of grace as a fountain of waters Now in the narrowest fountaines there is such a plenitude of waters as is alwaies living never decaying Whereas let the greatest pits and torrents be never so full yet the water in them will still grow lesse and lesse But of this before Christ 4. for his fulnesse of grace is compared unto the sunne Mal. 4.2 The sunne of righteousnesse Whereas the best of the saints were but stars and beam's of righteousnesse And however one starre differ from another in light and magnitude yet they all come short of the sunne The light of the sunne is enough for the whole visible world The righteousnesse of Christ is sufficient for all the members of the Church No eye can overlooke the light of the sun No faith can comprehend or overclaspe the righteousnesse of Christ He was a sunne of righteousnesse 5. Christ for his fulnesse of grace is resembled unto a King He is a king of righteousnesse Heb. 7.2 And therefore he hath an abundance even a kingdome of righteousnesse For being a king of righteousnesse it is probable that he
None of all these render a man uncapable of being the object of this filling here spoken of of the giving of gifts unto men For such is the objective latitude thereof as that it excludes no times no places nor any condition of men whatsoever q Caeterum mihi non displicet illa quoque interpretatio quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpretatur omnia Christi officia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro persicere Duo enim officiorum genera injuncta fuerunt a patre Christo perficienda primum continebat omnia quae in terris pro nostra redemptione perficienda erant ut pati mori sepeliri Vbi haec perfecit ait apostolus eum ascendisse ut reliqua etiam omnia impleret in caelo scilicei è caelo Inter quae etiam erat hoc de quo immediate loquitur Apostolus de donis scilicet è caelo dandis distribuendis hominibus in Ecclesia Et eò magis jâm haec interpretatio placet quia complectitur etiam superiorem de effundendo suo spiritu donisqúe spiritus S. super omnem carnem sed illa superior non complectitur hanc Certè erant etià m multa alia Christo implenda in caelo è caelo ut supra declaratum est Ergò quia latiùs patet haec postrema eam amplector Zanchy after he hath insisted upon that interpretation which we have now gone over acquaints us with another that he dislikes not and it is that which by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand's all Christs offices and render's the word translated fill fulfill discharge or performe For there were saith he two sorts of offices enjoyned Christ by his father The first contained all those things which were to be performed here below on earth for our redemption as to suffer to dye and to be buried c. As soone as he had finished these the Apostle saith that he ascended that he might fulfill all those other offices which remaine to be performed by him in and from heaven for us at the right hand of his father But this is no prejudice unto what we have said in our sence of the place because one of these offices as Zanchy himselfe informeth us was that which the Apostle speakes of immediatly before the giving of gifts from heaven unto men And the reason why he approveth of this interpretation is because it is so comprehensive as that it takes in the former sence concerning the pouring of his spirit and the gifts thereof upon all flesh The last head of arguments is from the prayers for this progressive fulnesse of the saints recorded in scripture from the prayers of petition and from the prayers of thanksgiving for it 1. From the prayers of petition for it which doubtlesse had a gracious answere and returned into the bosomes of those that put them up This I pray saith Paul unto the Philippians that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment That ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Phil. 1.9,10,11 We do not cease to pray for you saith he to the Colossians and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledg of his will in all wisedome and spirituall understanding Col. 1.9 He prayed unto the Lord to make the Thessalonians to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men c. 1 Thes 3.12 He puts up also a petition unto the God of peace c. in the behalfe of the Hebrewes to make them perfect in every good worke Heb. 13.21 You have Peter also 1 Pet. 5.10 petitioning for the perfection of such converts of them as were scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia The God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternall glory by Jesus Christ c. make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Thus also Epaphras was a petitioner for the spirituall compleatnesse and perfection of the Colossians Epaphras who is one of you a servant of Christ saluteth you alwaies labouring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and compleate in all the will of God Col. 4.12 2. From the prayers of thanksgiving for it which if this progressive fulnesse were unattaineable would be but a taking of Gods name in vaine I thanke my God alwaies in your behalfe saith he to the Coâ—inthians for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ that in every thing ye are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledg c so that ye come behind in no gift c. 1 Cor. 4.5,7 The same Apostle Ephes 1.3,7,8 blesseth the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for that in the riches of his grace he hath abounded tawards us in all wisedome and prudence In the 1 Timoth. 1.12,14 We have him presenting his thankes unto Christ Jesus our Lord because the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant towards himselfe with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus And thus have I at large proved that the members of Christ shall enjoy every one of them 1. A communion in the fulnesse of Christ's grace in their justification 2. A conformitie unto it in their sanctification I proceed now unto the last thing which I promised in this use to shew that from the premises Christ's members may reape a double comfort 1. against the strength and fulnesse of sinne 2. against their wants in and emptinesse of grace 1. Against the strength and fulnesse of sinne Naturally there is a fulnesse of sinne in us Our powers and members are full of sinne And the very fulnesse of sinne is in them Now where there is a fulnesse of a thing there that thing must needs be exceeding strong How strong are the waters of the sea onely because the sea is full of waters and the fulnesse of waters is there Against this fulnesse of sin now that is in our natures we have comfort nay a full joy and triumph in the fulnesse of grace that dwelleth in Christ for it is imputed to us that is accepted for us And God will make us conformable unto it And therefore it gives us assurance that Christ will quench cure and expell all our sins If in us there be the treasury of an evill heart bottomlesse depths of folly lust and ignorance in Christ there are hid unsearchable riches and treasures of grace and wisedome If corruption in us be of an unbounded rage if we be out of measure sinfull why the grace of Christ is answerably of an unstinted measure The spirit was not given by measure unto him Joh. 3.34 If sin abound in us grace doth much more abound in him Excedit quippe pietas Jesu omnem criminum quantitatem seu numerositatem as Bernard in Vigilia nativitatis Domini Serm. 1. If the
describeth 1. in regard of the tearme from which 2. In respect of the tearme unto which it was 1. In regard of the tearme from which it was It was a deliverance from death and corruption 1. From death and the grave by way of subvention and release Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell that is my person considered in its mortall part in the state of the dead 2. It was a deliverance from corruption that is putrefaction by way of prevention and preservation Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption that is to feele and to suffer rottennesse 2. Christs resurrection is here set forth in regard of its tearme unto which as it was the way unto a glorious and immortall life Thou wilt shew me the path of life vers 11. or as Peter quotes it Act. 2.28 Thou hast made known unto me the wayes of life that is in my resurrection thou hast given me experience of the way unto life from death Secondly David prophesyeth of the glorification of Christs soule consequent unto the resurrection of his body In thy presence is fulnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Which passage we have thus abbreviated in the Apostle Peter's quotation of it Acts. 2.28 Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance Here we have the 1. Matter 2. Measure 3. Duration 4. The Causes of that glory with which Christs soule in his exaltation was repleate 1. The matter of it joy and pleasures The Apostle Peter speaking of the imperfect and begun joy of Believers here in this life saith it is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 The joy then of Christs soule in its glorified condition is glorious beyond all comprehension 2. Here is the measure or degree of it fulnesse of joy God hath promised to make all that trust in him to drinke of the river of his pleasures Psalm 36.8 But in the heart of his son Christ Jesus there is an ocean of joy The Spirit was given not by measure unto him John 3.34 And as the Spirit was the principle of his grace so it was the fountaine of his glory and therefore his glory as well as his grace was unmeasurable Thirdly here is the duration of this glory pleasures for evermore All his life long he was a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe Is 53.3 Towards his passion his soule was exceeding sorrowfull even unto death Math. 26.38 And in the dolefull time of his passion that fearfull houre of darkenesse his sorrowes were beyond measure Math. 27.46 But for all this God made him ample amends in the eternity of his joy and pleasures at Gods right hand Lastly we have the causes of this glory of Christs soule the full vision and the infinite power of God 1. The full vision of God In thy presence is fulnesse of Joy which in Acts. 2.28 is thus varied Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance 2. The right hand that is omnipotency of God elevating his soule unto this vision by the light of glory At or rather by thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Jesus was exalted by the right hand of God Acts. 2.33 Unto this prophecy I shall adde three more The first is Isaiah 4.2 In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely c. In which words Christ if we understand them of him in respect of his humanity is called the branch of the Lord in reference unto the active principle of his conception the holy Ghost the power of the highest Luk. 1.33 The fruit of the earth in respect of the passive principle of his conception the Virgin Mary Another prophecy is Isaiah 52.13 Behold my servant shall be exalted and extolled and be very high In that nature according unto which he is my servant he shall be exalted and be very high Here are divers tearmes of the like import heaped up to expresse the unexpressible glory of Christs humanity in its Exaltation The last prophecie which I shall mention is Ezek. 17.22,23 Thus saith the Lord God I will also take off the highest branch of the high Cedar and will set it I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one and will plant it upon a high mountaine and eminent In the mountaine of the height of Israel will I plant it and it shall bring forth boughs and beare fruit and be a goodly Cedar and under it shall dwell all fowle of every wing In the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell Here Christ in regard of his Humiliation was but a tender one cropt off from a young twig In his exaltation he will be a goodly or stately Cedar which God will plant upon a high mountaine and eminent In the mountaine of the height of Israel that is not only in the Church militant which is tearmed Gods holy hill of Sion Psalm 2.6 But also in the Church triumphant intitled Heb. 12.22 mount Sion the city of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem With the prophecies concerning Christs glory concurre also the types of it I shall instance but in a few 1. The Arke of the Testament was to be overlaid with pure gold within and without and to have a crowne of gold round about it Exod. 25.11 2. The Altar of Incense also was to be overlaid with pure gold the top thereof and the sides thereof round about and the hornes thereof and it was also to have a crowne of gold round about Exod. 30.3 And all this may be to typify the plentifull glory that was to be in Christs humanity He was to be glorious within and without he was to be covered and crowned with glory Unto these two types of Christs fulnesse of glory I shall adde a third the garments of the high Priest that were for glory and beauty Exod. 28.2 In Levit. 16.4 the high Priest was to weare in the day of expiation plaine linnen garments and this figured thinkes Aynsworth the base estate of Christ here on earth And why may not we say answerably that his glorious and golden garments typified his glorious estate in heaven These forementioned prophecies and types receive cleare light from expresse affirmations of Christs glory in the new Testament Christ after he had suffered enter'd into his glory Luk. 24.26 Where glory is as it were appropriated unto him as the most eminent subject and principall efficient of glory He had as it were the monopoly of glory All the glory in heaven was in some sort his glory God crowned him with glory and honour Heb. 2.7 and set him at his owne right hand in heavenly places Ephes 1.20 Where by placing of him at Gods right hand is understood a conferring upon his humanity as soveraigne authority so also unspeakable glory and dignity Unto these places we may also refer all those passages that speake of Christs exaltation Col.
teares Here they sow in teares Psal 126.5 Thou feedest them with the bread of teares and givest them teares to drink in great measure Psalm 80.5 But light is sowen for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart Psalm 97.11 and a glorious harvest will come wherein they shall reape in joy and God shall wipe away all teares from their eies Revel 21.4 Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and trouble Job 14.1 man is borne unto trouble as the sparkes flee upward Job 5.7 But there remaineth a rest unto the people of God Hebr. 4.9 a rest from all their labours Revel 14.13 their hearts therefore may be glad and their glory may rejoyce and their flesh also shall rest in hope Psalm 16.9 who almost but may take up that complaint of the Psalmist Psalm 88.3 My soule is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave But unto it all Christ's members may oppose that which David speaketh in the name of Christ himselfe Thou wilt make knowne unto mee the waies of life Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance Act. 2.28 Here Gods people have waters of affliction of a full cup wrung out unto them Psalm 73.10 Here they have a full draught of misery But against the bitternesse of this cup they may be cheared by expectation of the river of divine pleasures the streames thereof make glad the city of God which God hath promised to make all those drinke of that put their trust under the shadow of his wing For with him is the fountaine of life in his light shall we see light Psalm 36.8,9 Amongst the miseries of this life we may well range the infamy of our names and it is common and incident to the most of men Who almost so innocent but hath occasion to complaine as David Psal 69.19,20 Thou hast knowne my reproach and my shame and my dishonour c. Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse Against this we should comfort our selves with this confidence that God will one day cleare up our reputations and wipe away all obloquies from our names The Lord Christ will come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 The Lord Christ will be the fountaine of their glory and the measure of it will be unto admiration Unto the reproaches which the names of saints and Believers lie under we may add that which ministreth no lesse argument of griefe and sorrow unto a sanctified soule the unavoidable society of the ungodly How was just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 Woe is me saith David that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar Psalm 120.5 But against this we must solace our selves by the hopes of Gods glorious presence in which we shall enjoy as Christ now doth fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore at the right hand of God Lastly here is comfort and encouragement unto those that are Christs against the terrours of death When we are as Joshua and David to goe the way of all the earth Joshua 23.14 1 Kings 2.2 to die This consideration may comfort us that God will shew us the path of life make knowne unto us experimentally the waies of life Nature trembleth to consider that one day it must descend downe into the throne of death make it's bed in the dust among wormes and putrefaction But Faith erects the soule by giving evidence of our future full vindication from all the dishonour of the grave and full conformity unto the all-fulnessē of Christs glory Lastly the all-fulnesse of glory that dwelleth in Christs humanity may be applied in a way of exhortation 1. Because it is the pattern pledge of our owne fulnesse of glory Phil. 1.21 Therefore it should weane us from the love of this miserable world and life and quicken in us an earnest expectation of and fervent longing for that time day wherein this glory shall be not only revealed but communicated unto us Death will put a period unto the most lasting joyes of this world therefore we should not let out our hearts unto them but there are pleasures at Gods right hand that are beyond its reach for they shall be for evermore The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from a word that signifies victory because * Rivet in locū eternity is as it were a conquest of time and whatsoever is measured thereby Unto these everlasting delights our soules should be alwaies suspiring Here we are troubled with the passibility animality and weaknesse of our bodies and we dread all thoughts of the corruption and dishonour of the grave and therefore we should sigh and groane in our selves for the redemption of our bodies we should ardently wish and pray for incorruptible powerfull glorious and Spirituall bodies The sin of the soule is an heavier loade unto a gracious heart then the frailty of the body O wretched man that I am saith Paul who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 Why death it selfe will give a full and finall deliverance it will exempt as from the pollution of sin so from the vexation of all temptation to it After death there will be no more any lustings of the flesh against the Spirit no more any warring of the law in our members against the law of our minds and bringing us into captivity unto the law of sin which is in our members Rom. 7.23 And therefore death is desirable by all that are in Christ Phil. 1.23 so it be with submission unto the decree of God with a patient contentation to serve our owne generation by the will of God Act. 13.36 To do first that service for the Church which God hath appointed us No filthinesse comparable unto that in the spot of sin and therefore how welcome should a glorified condition be unto us in which we shall be without spot blemish wrinkle or any such thing The mortification of sin in this life is attended with the peace of conscience that passeth all understanding but because it is not perfect therefore it is often interrupted with stormes But the utter eradication of sin is followed with a perpetuall calme and therefore ardently desired by all that know and prize tranquillity of Spirit A cluster of grapes cut down at the brook of Eshcol and brought into the wildernesse was very sweet Numb 13. Oh then how pleasant will the whole vintage in the land of Canaan be If the first fruites of our glory be so joyous and delightfull O then the comfort that we shall reap in the whole crap or harvest The fulnesse and perfection of our glory is such as never entered into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 The glory of Christ in his transfiguration on the mount was so satisfactory unto Peter as that he desired his sight of it might never have end or